Re: [RC] Who would be your ideal populist candidate?

[David R. Block]

Title: ORourke1 Signature

Since no one is from Texas on this list, maybe we should SECEDE. David "Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine."--P. J. O’Rourke On 10/10/2011 5:39 PM, bil...@aol.com wrote: Of the names on the list two are real possibilities : David Petraeus Mark Warner   Several I know so little about that comment is impossible. Several  --from my perspective--   are completely unacceptable : Hillary Clinton Condoleezza Rice Michael Bloomberg   I won't add Powell to the list only because he is decent and smart. However, he is also a world class wimp as far as politics goes. NOT, obviously, his military record, which is about as good as it gets. But as a political leader ?  I have no idea what is really there, do you ? He comes across as pulling almost every punch.   As for why the other three are unacceptable : Social Values, which, for me, is # 1 on my list of factors in evaluating any political figure. If they don't get that right I could care less about their other views.  And this cuts both ways. Anyone who is anti-evolution strikes me as someone not to take seriously at all in politics. Anyone who is a gung-ho abortion supporter, likewise, even if on this issue there is some flexibility. Any Quayle-like  position is waaay too extreme.   I completely reject the current East Coast + California consensus on homosexuality. But this is one of the projects I need to get much further along than is the case now. Otherwise mostly what people hear from me is strong opinion. There is a helluva lot more than that, tons of empirical stuff, but its got to be written up and that takes time.   Also as important is the issue of Islam. At least about this a book is far along toward completion. But like a football game, the last 20 yards in the red zone are the hardest.   Billy     ------------------------------------------------------------------------         10/10/2011 3:07:22 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, drer...@radicalcentrism.org writes: On Oct 10, 2011, at 2:38 PM, bil...@aol.com wrote: Dang, someone beat me to it: http://www.politico.com/politicoprimary/ Time for a hero. Will one emerge ?  A major gamble for anyone who tries. Politico assembled a decent list, all the usual suspects plus a couple dark horses: Erskine Bowles John Chambers Hillary Clinton David Petraeus Condoleezza Rice Michael Bloomberg Jon Huntsman Colin Powell David M. Walker Mark Warner I could totally see the AE crowd getting behind a Bloomberg, Petraeus, or even Mark Warner candidacy. Maybe even Jon Hunstman, though me may be too far Right.   But, I still suspect for this thing to catch fire we'd need someone with a strong populist streak, yet still intellectual and pragmatic enough to not freak everyone out. Everybody seemingly wants to be the next Reagan or the next JFK.  Where's Teddy Roosevelt when we need him? -- Ernie P. -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <RadicalCentrism@googlegroups.com> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org   -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <RadicalCentrism@googlegroups.com> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <RadicalCentrism@googlegroups.com> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org